PhD
Finance
The Finance group at MIT Sloan delves into the study of markets for real and financial assets, emphasizing the practical applications of modern financial theory widely adopted by Wall Street and corporations. Students gain a robust understanding of foundational theories and acquire the tools necessary for conducting both theoretical and applied research. After completing coursework in microeconomics and macroeconomics, students tailor their research programs with faculty guidance, often contributing to and expanding on faculty research. Notable faculty members include Hui Chen, whose research intersects asset pricing and corporate finance; Deborah Lucas, known for her work on public sector financial management; and Maryam Farboodi, who explores the economics of big data and its impact on financial markets.
Research from Finance Faculty
From MIT Sloan Fellow to Climate Startup Founder
With more than 15 years experience leading infrastructure projects across Latin America, Solangel Fernandez, SF ’25, came to MIT Sloan with a clear purpose—to innovate and accelerate the impact of sustainable development. An opportunity to fulfill that purpose came when her Sustainable Business (S-L...
Decades-old social science data yields new insights through integrative experimental design
Research by associate professor Abdullah Almaatouq, Mohammed Alsobay (PhD '25, MS '24, SB '16), and co-authors have developed an innovative experimental design framework that promises to decipher the intricate web of factors influencing human cooperation. This new methodology, known as integrative experiment design, heralds a paradigm shift away from traditional one-variable-at-a-time approaches toward a comprehensive, system-level understanding of social behavior.
How imposter syndrome actually helps overwhelmed workers
In a new study, assistant professor Basima Tewfik found that when saddled with a heavy workload, imposter thoughts can actually be a superpower. Workers with imposter thoughts rose to the occasion when overloaded with work, Tewfik's research found, accomplishing more than peers without imposter thoughts while staving off burnout.
Fans express outrage as US World Cup ticket prices soar
"The simplest explanation is supply and demand. The World Cup is the biggest sporting event on earth, and it's coming to the biggest sports market on earth," said senior lecturer Ben Shields. "We may see some declines in ticket prices in some of the earlier matches, but by the time we get to the semis and finals, we'll still see some healthy ticket prices, and people will likely pay them."
Select Finance Faculty
Full-Time Faculty
Paul Asquith
Gordon Y Billard Professor of Finance
Paul Asquith is the Gordon Y Billard Professor of Finance and a Professor of Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Asquith is a specialist in corporate finance and a media source for the field of corporate finance and control, including…
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Hui Chen
Nomura Professor of Finance
Hui Chen is the Nomura Professor of Finance and a Professor of Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His research focuses on asset pricing and its connections with corporate finance. Chen is particularly interested in the interactions…
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Taha Choukhmane
Albert F. (1942) & Jeanne P. Clear Career Development Assistant Professor in Global Management
John C. Cox
Nomura Professor of Finance, Emeritus
John Cox is the Nomura Professor of Finance, Emeritus at the MIT Sloan School of Management. A leading authority on corporate finance and finance theory, Cox has developed an inter-temporal financial model broad enough to include the fundamental…
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Example PhD Thesis Topics
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Maya Bidanda (2024)
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Timothy de Silva (2024)
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Allison Cole (2023)
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Parinitha Sastry (2022)
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Peter Hansen (2021)